A RADIO STORY (PART THREE/LAST EXCERPT)

[yonkstur]

As requested, an excerpt from "A RADIO STORY" available at [email protected],
Barnes and Noble, Joe Nardone's Gallery of Sound, Edwardsville, Tudor Books
in Kingston and Clarks Summit and on the KRZ website.
NOTE: The book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead
is purely coinicidental.

Part 3

The silent hum of the ceiling fan was the only noise in the store. Jake and Queenie were the only two there. Jake rang the service bell on the counter as he did so many times as a child. An elderly, well-groomed woman came out.
“Good morning” said the clerk.
“Hello, I’m Queenie Foxx and this is Jake Yanick. You have a beautiful store here. We’re from Fortress broadcasting and we’d like to talk to you about advertising today” said Jake’s boss determined to show him up. The woman took Queenie’s card, looked at it and then handed it back to the dismayed sales manager.
“Oh, we don’t advertise” said the woman.
“That’s funny” countered Queenie, “everybody has to advertise”.
“We don’t” said the lady, “and we’ve been here for 75 years, same location, same goods, and we don’t advertise”.
Confused and slightly exasperated, Queenie said, “How do you get people to come in the store and buy if you don’t advertise?”
The woman looked at the two, raising her left hand with eyes looking upward pointed to the ceiling with her index finger simply said, “Him”.
“Him who?” asked Queenie.
“God” said the woman. Jake was ready to burst out laughing but thought he’d be fired on the spot. Queenie was momentarily stunned but recovered quite nicely by saying “Well, thanks for your time” and turned to walk out of the store. When Jake and Queenie turned to leave, the store was packed with at least 12 shoppers looking at greeting cards, stationery and expensive pens. Jake opened the passenger side of his car for Queenie who asked him to take her back to the radio station since she had numerous meetings to attend that day. Jake asked if she wanted to continue on with him to find new business and she seethed
silently before saying “I’m sure you’ll find some on your own”.

 

[NickGerard]

LOL - gawd, doesn't that ring true! Brings back memories of selling radio.

Dave, you and I met a few times when I was PD of WARM in the late 80's. After WARM, I returned to Portland, Maine where I sold radio for 5 years (with some success).

I think many air personalities would be surprised at how often the job of selling radio consists of overcoming objections. When I made a cold call, I was certain (as I'm sure you were) to hear one or more of the following.


1) We don't do radio
2) We're in the newspaper, that's all the advertising I need
3) I've already got more business than I can handle
4) I hate the music on your station
5) I tried radio advertising once, it's like pissin' money down the drain
6) My advertising budget is spent. I'm in the Pennysaver for the next 6 months
7) Direct mail is great! Look at all these people who brought in my coupon (as
he holds a fistful of 6 coupons)
8) Is that the station with that goofy guy in the morning?
9) Nobody listens to THAT station
10) I don't want your kind of listeners coming into my store
11) Your listeners don't have any money to spend. (often said to reps working
for country or album rock stations, even if they were top rated)
12) My competitor advertises on your station, so why would I want to be on
there?
13) You radio people are all crooks. All you care about is your commission.
14) A guy from your station came in here a couple of years ago. What an idiot!
15) How many customers can you guarantee me?
16) Nobody listens to radio, everyone watches TV

...etc, etc. One memorable moment was being kicked out of a car dealer in Portland after presenting a renewal in which the guy's rate went up a whopping one dollar a spot (like from $12 to $13 or something). He already had the lowest rate on the station. He bellowed, in the middle of the showroom with customers present. "You get the f**k out of here and never come back! And if you do, you better come back with an ambulance because you're goin' outta here with two broken legs!" Whew! Was I dealing with organized crime figures?

I have the highest regard for good radio salespeople, because it's an extremely tough job. It can be, though, a very rewarding way to make a living. It was for me, with a few exceptions, like the aforementioned event. I'm glad to have sold radio for five years, because I learned so much. I don't however, aspire to do it again.

Nick Seneca